Florence Broadhurst

Today is the first day for "Wild Card Wednesday" and I wanted to share a book that I am currently reading called Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives. I got the book at Anthropologie a little while ago. I just started reading it a few days ago, and I'm already half way through and can't put it down. Florence Broadhurst is a very eccentric woman who grew up in the 20s. She never let the art world out of her sight no matter where she went.  She is known for her brightly colored retro wall papers and her very extravagant personality.

There is a huge mystery behind the death of Florence, which was a murder in 1977, and it's one of the reasons why I can't put it down because  I've got to know exactly what happened. She was still living a full life at 78 years old, and from the story thus far,  I don't think she was finished creating.   Also, Florence's stream of events are all so interesting. Her career path changes so many times, along with the name she gives herself each time with some other secret events.  The best part is that everywhere she goes, and everything she does is based off of her purely, raw talent. I would tell you the whole story so far, but of course  I wouldn't want to spoil it. This book is such a great read and I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn something new, or just to get to know another amazing artist.

Blog Praise: Dottie Angel

I'm starting a blog praise at the beginning of each week, or a blog of the week rather.  This week I want to praise Dottie Angel, by Tif, who  I found through the Artful Blogging magazine (Winter 2010 issue). I absolutely love her eclectic style, and the imagination behind "Dottie Angel" herself. Tif also has an etsy shop with more of her work and beautiful images. Enjoy :)

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All images taken by Tif.

First Snow of the Year

I absolutely love snow. In the little southern town of Florence, Alabama snow is rarely seen, or rarely seen by me to say the least. We usually get our first snow when I have to leave from my holiday break to go back to Savannah for classes, but I'm so happy I get to see it today, and I wanted to share it with you. To all of you guys who never get to see snow, I dedicate this to you :) This is a view of the snow falling from the lake.

Have a Lovely Weekend

I'm warm and cozy, ready for the Holidays. I hope you all have a fabulous and relaxing weekend! Here is my current favorite holiday song. Enjoy :)

{photo by Marie Louise Windsor}

"Christmas Tonight"  -Dave Barnes and Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott

Ana Montiel

Ana Montiel is a print designer, as well as a free lance art director and designer. She is based in London and all of her patterns are done by hand. Ana also does beautiful illustrative work. I love how abstract her work is. There are many geometric shapes in her patterns but she achieves them in a very organic way with color and placement creating so much movement in her prints. Great work Ana, and keep up the good work! Check out her website and her blog for more. 

Illustrative Works

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Fossil Finds

I am absolutely loving what I've spotted at Fossil. I recently visited an accessory store and a clothing store, and I seriously wanted to buy out everything in each one.  Here are a few things I was eyeing while I browsed. Enjoy!

New at Galison

I've shared my love for Galison products in the past, and wanted to share some new products that are currently out! Who doesn't love little keepsake boxes? The Seasons in Bloom is a new collection, and they are beautiful.  I own the Vincent one, and love it.  I've displayed it every year in my dorm room.

 

 

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Happy Happy Holidays!

I everyone! I just got back from celebrating Thanksgiving at the beach, and I'm still stuffed from all of the food! It's been a while, but now I have some time to relax while I'm home away from a busy schedule, just to enjoy the holidays.  Christmas is creeping around the corner, and I couldn't be happier because it's my favorite time of year. What's on your wish list this Christmas? Do you have any fun projects planned?

Here is a fun DIY gift from Anthropologie definitely worth giving a friend if they are looking for a fun project this season in the warmth of their own home.

Gathering Spriggs by Heather Thompson

Hi everyone,  I hope your weekends were relaxing and productive at the same time!  Let's start out our week with some beauty shall we?

Heather Thompson, an artist and designer based out Nashville, TN (one of my favorite places in TN) is the writer of the blog Gathering Spriggs, and has worked as a decorative painter/ faux finisher in homes and businesses in TN.

If you haven't stumbled across her blog already, I am so happy I could introduce you to it. I have found myself reading and going to her blog numerous amounts of times for inspiration in the past few weeks, and I can not get over how gorgeous and beautiful everything is.  Inspirational articles about decor, color trends, design, shops, and more are found that inspire Heather day to day, and I am so happy that she is sharing all of it with us.

 I also urge you take the time to visit her Etsy shops, Gathering Spriggs, and Gathering Vintage to see her personal work!

Etsy Shops

Krista Keltanen

Krista Keltanen is an advertising and commercial photographer and digital artist. She also does very beautiful, dreamy fine art photography that you can find in her Etsy shop.  Also, please check out her gorgeous blog for more eye candy.  I'm so excited to add Krista to my inspiration list, and you should too! Aren't these photographs absolutely breathtaking?

Have A Lovely Weekend!

*source*

Kate's Paperie

Today I met up with a dear friend I hadn't seen in four years!  What a day, and what fun.  We went in to a very cute paper store called Kate's Paperie.  I loved looking at all of the stationery and printed papers! Some of the stationery was sold by companies such as Night Owl Paper Goods, which I'm sure you all know and heard of, and another company that's new to me called Bobbin Designs, which is oh, sooo adorable!  Other brands included Cavallini, Kate Spade, Lilly Pulitzer, and Vera Wang.

             

Sweet Tooth

I have a mad sweet tooth, and of course, I have found a few places that I couldn't resist to stop by any time I dare to walk near.

First, is Magnolia Bakery, which has cupcakes and other yummy sweet treats to die for! If you have a craving for something sweet, this is definitely a place to visit for a cupcake or two... or three.

Next is another bakery, Levain Bakery, known for their 6 oz. cookies.  A few of my dear friends work there, and it's so great to get free treats at the end of the day.  This bakery is also known for beating Bobby Flay's attempt to a "Throw Down".

And last but not least, one of my favorite places to go is the Chelsea Market. The market has tons of little shops to buy sweet treats and healthy treats as well.  Of course, right now, I have the sweet treats on my mind, and the one that stands out the most is the gelato that you can get there.  L'Arte del Gelato-- one word... YUM. 

                              

Kaffe 1668

One of the cutest coffee shops ever! My friends and I spent two hours chilling out and chatting it up at this sweet little coffee shop.  I got a latte that was amazing, and of course it's always fun to see the different froth art figures in each cup. They are so pretty it makes you not want to drink the coffee and mess it up, but the coffee is so good you just gotta. I love friendly little sheep that create a theme in the shop. The art work is fun and quirky, by artist Andrew Cherry, a former student of Savannah College of Art and Design.  If your in the mood to chill out and have a wonderful cup of coffee, Kaffe 1668 is the place to go!

New Experiences, New Places, New York

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th!  As you know I am in New York interning for Martha Stewart Living for product design.  My first experiences in New York have been amazing. New York is such a great city, and there is always something to do.  I love exploring downtown to find fun shops and galleries.

This week I'll be posting some of my most memorable and favorite spots that I will definitely be making a second , third, and probably a fourth trip to.

So, for starters, I absolutely loved Purl Soho.  It's the sweetest little shop with beautiful yarns, fabrics, books, and crafting accessories. If you make a trip to New York and you're a sucker for textiles, please go here! It's a haven for the crafters such as ourselves. And if you already live in New York and haven't been, you'll definitely be making trips here all the time! You can also visit their blog, The Purl Bee.